


Through the Eye of the Tiger

by JustAnotherGhostwriter



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Jake's POV, Remix, massively long fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-06-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:40:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherGhostwriter/pseuds/JustAnotherGhostwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tobias needs a wingman, and Cassie is more than happy to help her romantically-awkward best friend out. But when the object of Tobias’ affection is fierce roller derby queen “Grizzly” Berenson, Cassie finds herself challenged to access her own inner beast…and begins to seek love in her life, as well."</p><p>This is a no-Yeerk, roller derby AU rated 13 for language, with Rachel/Tobias and Cassie/Jake and very many canon references. Written for the Animorphs Remix Challenge on Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Eye of the Tiger

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [She Wolf](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/57697) by Word_Play_Sam. 



Even in college, Big Jake was never a fan of huge parties. Large crowds made up of drunk, rowdy, alcohol-dumb people were for those who had personalities as big as the kegs of beer and the speakers the awful music blared from. Those were the people who had skills and interests that they wore as magnets on their skin, used for pulling in members of their preferred gender so that bodies started melding amidst the deafening bass, the screamed conversations, the expulsion of alcohol in corners and other inconvenient places and the soap opera level of drama that always flourished in such atmospheres. Big Jake had a few metaphorical magnets himself – he was never covered in vomit, never groping some unknown girl’s ass and, as the nickname that had stuck with him far beyond graduation suggested, tall and broad-shouldered enough to be seen even in a crowd. Quite a few girls even found him attractive, or so he’d been told.

But his magnets only helped him _start_ a conversation. As soon as he mentioned he was majoring in history so he could become a high school teacher and hopefully an inner member in the local historical society all bets were off. Most of the time he was left with some awkward excuse, and a vague intention to look up the band or book or TV show or club or holiday resort or major or _whatever_ it was he’d just been told about for the first time. Sometimes he got the girl who decided it was her mission in life to get him to _really live_ , and excited promises of having his world rocked followed him for the rest of the evening.

Honestly, he preferred the rejections.

Large parties were the only thing he really disliked about being one of the L.A. Hubris who, like quite a few other roller derby teams, were as invested in the afterparties as they were the actual scrimmages. However, Big Jake had learned to deal with the wild, intense parties until they just became par for the course, as did every other aspect of his Hubris lifestyle. Sometimes he even looked forward to them – the craziness and loudness distracted him from the nightmare headache of the bout.

Glancing up from the paper he was marking, Big Jake caught sight of his calendar on the wall. Underneath the current date, which was circled fiercely in red, _Star Whores_ was printed bold and big in red lipstick, accompanied by a red skull and crossbones. Big Jake sighed.

That evening would definitely be one where he’d need the party.

 ***

The Star Whores had been the reigning champions of the local roller derby scene long before the Hubris had even joined the fray. Thus competitive feelings toward the team were not only unsurprising, but the general norm in the sport as a whole. Due to some inexplicable twists of fate in the past three years, the Hubris had faced down the Star Whores more often than any other team, making their rivalry against each other a much discussed topic by anybody who knew roller derby. It went even deeper than iron-clad rivalry, however. Somewhere down the line, the competitive enmity between the Hubris and the Star Whores had turned deeply personal. Not one lady on the team would discuss their private vendettas, but the unspoken thirst for vengeance was in every move they made against the long-standing champions.

Big Jake could see the signs of bad blood and determination on every woman’s face as he entered the tiny changing room just off the rink. Every eye turned to him and the absence of teasing and horsing around actually struck him as _wrong_ , even though he was usually the one trying to get them to focus more.  He sighed and folded his arms.

“Just… _try_ to keep it under control?”

A chorus of ‘yes, Big Big Jake’ echoed from every mouth, but it lacked the usual good-natured mockery. Big Jake started to remind them of the things they’d discussed in practices, and was about to go over one or two of the new strategies when Rachel, half in costume so she looked like a vengeful spirit from beyond the grave, told him that he’d said the same things to them about a _thousand_ times, get _out_ already. With one last glance at Loren – he’d heard rumours that her vendetta had to do with the Star Whores and her boyfriend in all sorts of bad ways – Big Jake obeyed his cousin and left. He paused just beyond the door and heard Rachel psyching her team up, using just about every swear word known to man as she promised they would do _exactly_ what Big Jake had asked them not to do. Big Jake simply sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and headed toward the rink.

The crowd had already streamed in, creating a hum of excited voices as bodies pressed closer to the rink, drinks in hand. He watched them vaguely as he walked, seeing wide smiles and complicated greetings as friends converged. And then Motor Mouth Marco was before him, giving a quick grin in lieu of a greeting.

“I’ve been told I have to tell you to control your girls, after what happened last time these two met.”

“Control my girls?” Big Jake repeated every word slowly, lacing each syllable with incredulity and disgust at the implication that they were his to control, let alone _controllable_ in the first place. They were _his_ team, sure, but only because he was one of them. And anybody who thought otherwise would get a hoard of angry ladies at their throat.

Marco shrugged and held up both his hands. “Just repeating the message I was told, Big Jake. Not that it’ll do any good; Esplin outright laughed in my face when I told him.” Big Jake glanced over to the other coach, scowling reflexively. He doubted he’d ever met somebody who was crueller, more selfish or more smug. Esplin and Big Jake had learned a long time ago that it was better for everybody if they stayed well out of each other’s way during the bouts. “Man,” Marco continued, drawing Big Jake’s gaze back. “I’m telling you, there’s something-” He broke off, and Big Jake saw his eye widen in horror.

Big Jake glanced at once in the direction Marco’s eyes were facing, finding what Marco was gaping at easily. A man noticeably older than any of the young adults in the audience around him was pressed right to the front eagerly. He had a home-made Star Whores hat, spirit finger and Tshirt, which contained the player number and face of the Star Whores’ captain, captioned by some of the worst puns Big Jake had ever read. He’d also painted his face, bought a pair of beer googles, and managed to make himself the most noticeable person for miles.

“Is that your dad?” Big Jake grinned, barely holding back his laugh.

“No,” Marco replied forcefully. “No, I’m not related to that man at all.”

Marco turned around and hustled to the very centre of the ring, muttering under his breath. Big Jake couldn’t help but laugh as Marco stormed off, amused at the usually put-together scientist’s outfit. The lights in the arena dimmed, and the low murmuring turned into a swell of screaming and clapping. Marco took his wireless microphone out of his pocket, checked his watch, then flipped a switch and pointed to somebody off rink. Big Jake shifted back on his heels a little, arms folded and momentary amusement forgotten. It was show time.  A single spotlight appeared over Marco, illuminating his flashing referee clothes and flashing smile before he took control of every watcher in the arena.

“Weeeeeelcome to the Los Angeles Roller Derby! I’m your announcer and referee for this evening’s scrimmage bout, Motor Mouth Marco!”

The crowd started to go wild again, but he held up his hands. “Please, please!” he shouted. “If you wear yourself out cheering for me, I know two teams of very beautiful and terrifying women who would be more than willing to put aside their differences to murder me in my sleep. So without any further ado, let me introduce you to the current reigning champions of the rink, the Star Whores! They want to invade your mind…and your body. Let’s give it up for number three, _Phantom of the Aria_!” The audience howled and stamped their appreciation as the female Esplin twin skated onto the rink, wearing her team’s famous – and very revealing – futuristic space costume with pride. “Number fifty-one, _Cyborg Barbie_!” Big Jake shook his head a little as the gorgeous blonde sent kisses and obscene hand gestures to the adoring crowd. It was a very good thing Cyborg Barbie and his cousin didn’t know each other outside of roller derby and the parties that accompanied it; if they were allowed to interact regularly and without the calming effect of alcohol, Big Jake was sure the city would go down in flames.

Marco brought in the rest of the Star Whores, pausing just a _little_ too long before introducing their captain. Visser One skated in with her head high and her eyes flashing, scanning the crowd with a challenge on her face, as though looking for people who questioned that somebody her age should still be allowed on a roller derby team. Then Big Jake saw her catch sight of her husband in all his painted, costumed glory, and the fierceness melted into the face of the woman he’d once seen partaking in a charity baking event. The moment was short lived; she was once more a warrior an instant later.

“And now, Ladies and Gentlemen,” Motor Mouth Marco said, “our challengers for the evening, the Los Angeles Hubris! Pride is not their _only_ sin! All the way from France, the very sexy number eight, _La Petite Mort_!” Jeanne came out with a burst of her usual energy, her short, Grecian toga and fishnet stockings glittering slightly in the light. “Number two, _Nutter McKitty_! Number four, _Salad Shooter_!” Toby always caused a stir when she came into the ring: she was obviously the tallest woman for miles, even without the fierce way she had of carrying herself. Big Jake chortled as two men in the front row craned their necks so they could gape up at her as she skated by, seven feet of confidence and muscle. “Number twelve, _Centauress_!” Estrid’s costume was cut slightly differently so her swirling blue and tan tattoos were more easily visible to the appreciative audience, and she gave a spin or two to make sure every eye in the room saw the pride and joy she’d had etched onto her skin. “Number sixteen, _Elle Fang_!” Loren’s eyes shot daggers at the Star Whores as she skated out, her glare about twice her size. Big Jake felt a niggle of worry start in the pit of his stomach. If the Hubris made it personal… “And finally, last but not least, the terrifying mama-bear captain of the Hubris, I give you number one, _GRIZZLY_!”

The audience went completely mad at Rachel’s exit, and one glance at her was enough to explain why. Fully in costume, with her makeup on as thick and dark as possible, her nails fashioned into claws and her hair teased to a wild blonde and brown mane around her head, she looked like a wild, dangerous creature capable of taking on an entire army. And winning without too much trouble. Her eyes met Big Jake’s and she grinned.

“Let’s do it!” she mouthed at him.

And, suddenly, the excitement of the match seeped into Big Jake’s bones. The idea of competition was precipitously thrilling, sending his mind and heart into overdrive. He matched her wild, dangerous grin with one of his own. His cousin and him were more alike than people realized. They’d both joined this sport because they loved the thrill of the fight.

“Ram them,” he mouthed back, pumping his fist into the air.

The teams found their spot on the rink, every face suddenly focused and every muscle straining to go. The first whistle sounded, and the bout began. Both teams went out fighting, equally determined not to let the opponent’s Jammer through their ranks. But, despite the valiant effort from his team, The Star Whores’ number fourteen pushed her way to the front to become Lead Jammer, and Big Jake knew that the Hubris were doomed. Swearing under his breath, he grit his teeth and willed his team to fight their damndest, anyway. Unfortunately, his mental vibes may have been a bit too strong because the Hubris started fighting back a little _too_ wildly. And as soon as they started getting ugly, the Star Whores retaliated. Pretty soon the penalties were being handed out every few minutes, and he had his hands full trying to remind the Hubris that they couldn’t _just_ beat the other team up as they pleased, there were _rules_  and they were in real danger of getting somebody disqualified, which would put them in real deep shit. Grizzly, of course, snapped right back at him most of the time, while the team swung between listening to Big Jake’s orders and Grizzly’s lust for blood that mirrored their own.

In the end they managed to get through the bouts without the scrimmage degrading into a mass fight and without anybody needing an ambulance. The Hubris had fought with everything they had, but the Star Whores had more firepower, and there were only so many times his team could get the upper hand with surprise tactics. They ended up losing 54 – 48, which was a lot closer than they’d ever been, but still too far away where the Hubris were concerned.

“Spare us the Losers Pep Up Speech first given by freaking _Napoleon_ after some long-forgotten battle,” Grizzly said as soon as he approached the team. Flickering smiles edged their way onto the other women’s faces. “We know. We’ll kick their asses next time. For tonight, we’ll nurse our sorrows in alcohol.”

“You guys really did yourselves proud out there,” Big Jake told them seriously. “That was some epic skating. And we’ll learn from our mistakes and-” Salad Shooter cleared her throat pointedly and Big Jake smiled. “Right. No speeches. Go.” He inclined his head to the table where the audience members cold get autographs from the teams.

As they skated past, each member gave him a highfive and a smile. Even Elle Fang’s eyes were their usual brightness despite the rather spectacular bruise that was forming on her jaw, and the last of the worry disappeared. Marco edged up and patted Big Jake on the back.

“Bring some ice when you come over,” he said, before rolling his shoulders and heading after the team, his swagger and wide smile already in place for him to begin his usual shameless flirting.

Big Jake saw Esplin approaching and he turned around immediately, digging in his pocket for the keys to his Element. He wasn’t quite sure he’d be able to refrain from punching the other coach this time, and he really didn’t feel like getting into a proper brawl where there were still people to see him. The Hubris still had a reputation to uphold, after all. Big Jake would talk to the smug son of a bitch when the Hubris finally gave the Star Whores what was coming to them, and not a minute before.

***

Big Jake tackled the party at Motor Mouth’s sprawling, shiny apartment the same way he dealt with every large party: he stayed away from the dance floor, limited himself to two or three slow beers and made sure he was always in conversation with somebody he already knew. That way the evening passed as if he was in a more intimate gathering with just friends who he could chat to about arbitrary things of little importance. It also meant he was always out of the way of whatever catastrophe or horribly awry plan decided to implode that particular evening.

“Marco’s over the moon with the fresh meat,” Toby commented to Big Jake as they hung around in one of the less crowded areas.

Big Jake glanced at Motor Mouth, who had his arms around three much younger girls whom Jake was sure had never attended a roller derby party before. He saw their eyes flicker periodically to the skaters of both teams, who were still dressed in their costumes, and he knew their wide-eyed awe was not because of whatever story Marco was spinning.

“There are quite a few new people here tonight,” Big Jake agreed, nodding his head to another circle of newbies who were still in their Huddle Together In Awkwardness phase. “The sport is picking up in popularity.”

Toby grunted in agreement, taking another swing of her beer. Big Jake could tell by the way she was rolling some of her letters that she was pleasantly buzzed, which was only a slightly bad thing due to the fact that she tended to forget how _tall_ she was when she was drunk. “Crowds are getting bigger. Autograph lines are getting longer. We’re inspiring women everywhere.”

“And a few men,” Big Jake said, grinning again as he remembered Peter’s fan costume.

“All humanity can bond over women kicking ass,” Toby said sagely, waving her beer for emphasis.

Big Jake’s eyes strayed to the throng of people again, trying to pick out more new faces. As his eyes slid around the room, focusing on nothing in particular, he suddenly caught sight of a woman he’d certainly never seen before. She seemed to hover around the little groups of people, staring at them curiously before moving on. She looked… not lost, exactly, but a little out of place, as though she was about as ready to face the masses of people as he was. There were some hot women in the roller derby world, both players and fans. But this one… she was _cute_ in a way Big Jake had never really seen before. All dark skin and short dark hair with eyes that were… Perhaps it was only the beer talking, but Jake couldn’t find any word to describe her eyes except _gentle._

“Who’s that?” he asked Toby, his captivation cancelling any subtlety he might have had.

Toby simply looked over to where he indicated, eyes narrowed in thought. “I don’t remember her name right now. But she came with Tobias, Rachel’s new admirer. His best friend or something.”

Toby jerked her thumb in Rachel’s direction and Big Jake glanced over to find a shorter, pale boy looking at his cousin with wide, adoring eyes.

“Oh, wow,” he snorted. “That one is twittering around her head singing the song of love already.”

Toby and Big Jake watched the blonde watch Rachel as she animated a story using her hands. The man beamed broadly and then said something back, using his hands even more wildly than she had. Rachel’s sudden grin was wide and blinding, and a moment later she threw her head back in a laugh. Big Jake’s eyebrows rose.

“I stand corrected,” he said, impressed. “This one can hold his own.”

“Less of a lovebird and more of a patient bird of prey,” Toby agreed with a wise nod. Big Jake found himself mentally apologising for underestimating the rather scrawny new guy. Usually, Rachel sent any admirers packing within minutes, so this one had to have something special about him. “It reminds me of my last Instructioning.”

“Oh, yeah?” Toby’s family and close family friends were all convinced she was a Seer, and the bizarre lessons they lined up for her gave the team an endless supply of amusement. “What happened this time?”

“Well, I actually _did_ see something.” Toby couldn’t decide whether she believed her parents or thought the whole thing ludicrous. “They gave me this…” She cupped her hands to indicate a bowl structure. “Tub, thing and it had-” She paused for a moment, then grinned. “That girl is looking at you.”

Big Jake glanced around at once, his gaze catching that of Tobias’ friend. Reflexively he smiled at her, delighted when her lips curved upward in return. She had a single dimple and a smile as gentle and warm as her eyes. Toby had started talking again and his eyes moved automatically back to her face, barely comprehending a word she was saying. Glancing back, he found that the mysterious girl had disappeared, and he spent the rest of Toby’s story raking through the crowd trying to spot her.

“You know, humans do have speech,” Toby finally told him, smirking and patting him so forcefully on the back his beer spilled a little. “Go _find_ her and _talk_ to her.”

He didn’t take Toby’s advice, but did keep a sharp eye on the crowd for the rest of the night. He didn’t catch sight of the mysterious girl again, and at the end of the night a part of him was disappointed with himself that he hadn’t tried harder to at least find out her name.

***

“I have, like, documentaries where people have found video evidence that aliens abduct cows, you-”

“Thank you, James,” Big Jake interrupted loudly, not waiting for the insults to slip past the sixteen-year-old’s mouth.

James glared but twisted so he was facing the front of the class again instead of the student who had aroused his ire. It was the last period of a dreary Tuesday, and Big Jake had decided to devote the last bit of his lesson to something a little more fun in the hopes that the class would stop falling asleep while he watched. Unfortunately, the discussion about Stonehenge had quickly dissolved into a very heated class argument about the existence of aliens.  Most of the class had been fairly neutral on the issue, but one or two had taken the topic… rather personally.

“Aliens _exist_ and they _built it_ ,” James muttered stubbornly, glaring down at his desk.

“Alien involvement is one of the major theories,” Big Jake agreed patiently, bottling down his irritation. “But there is another plausible history of Stonehenge that also needs to be considered, one that dates back to-”

The door to the class flew open and banged against the wall. Rachel, in full Grizzly costume complete with over-threatening makeup, clawed fingers and brown hair extensions, towered in the doorway. “We are so doomed,” she told Big Jake.

Except she didn’t say ‘doomed’. The class all took a collective breath at the sound of so many swearwords used in succession within the hallowed halls of school. Some looked horrified, and others looked like sharks who had just tasted blood. Big Jake ground his teeth together.

“Class dismissed early today. Don’t forget the essay!” The usual noise of the mass exodus of teenagers started up, and Big Jake motioned Rachel over to his table. “ _Rachel_.” He wasn’t even sure where to start: reminding her that he was at _work_ , asking her why she _wasn’t_ at work or beginning on the story she had to tell that was undoubtedly going to make him very mad. “I’ve _told_ you the costumes are only for actual bouts: you’re _not_ allowed to use them for _personal-_ ”

“Melissa broke her leg,” Rachel interrupted him impatiently, and Big Jake’s often repeated reprimand cut off at once.

“ _What_?”

“Broke her femur. Almost clean in two. She’s _still_ at the hospital. There’s no _way_ she’s going to skate for _ages_ , Big Jake. And we don’t have a spare!”

Big Jake put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples viciously. His mind replayed Rachel’s colourful declaration of their demise like a slightly hysterical mantra. “It couldn’t have waited until _after_ class?” he asked, deciding to prioritise his problems from smallest to biggest.

When he looked up, Rachel was giving him a slightly sheepish look. “I didn’t really look at the time. I just assumed school was out and you were sitting in here doing other boring things.”

“Why aren’t you at work? _Why_ are you dressed in the Hubris costume? And what the _hell_ happened? Who else was there?” Big Jake demanded, his scowl dark and slightly dangerous.

“We do have lunch breaks, you know. And an emergency like this warrants us a bit of an extension. Everybody else is still with Melissa at the hospital. They said they’d meet us in the rink after work at six,” Rachel said, not the least intimidated by the look her cousin was giving her.

“The _whole team_ was-?”Big Jake’s scowl turned into an outright glare. “Rachel,” he warned in a low voice. “What. Happened?”

She explained that the team had synchronised their lunch breaks so they could meet and discuss some small changes to the Hubris costumes. Why the discussion couldn’t have waited until the next meeting and why _discussing_ changes required Rachel to be in her full getup when she had to return to work in a short period of time weren’t even touched on. They’d pinned a few places on Melissa’s toga and had asked her to skate around a bit so they could see what it looked like. The rest of the girls joined in to see if anything would ride up when the pushing and shoving started and before anybody really knew what was happening, the whole team was in a pile on the ground and Melissa was screaming. Big Jake had a few remarks about the whole affair, but before he could get started Rachel’s boss phoned her and she was able to slip away from her cousin’s very displeased expression, explaining her situation to her boss and hamming up the horror and pain of the whole incident as she hurried to her car.

Big Jake was the last one to arrive at the arena that evening, and he found the whole team subdued. He crossed his arms as Estrid gave him an update on Melissa, which included the injured player’s sincerest apologies.  Big Jake rubbed his forehead.

“Grizzly already explained to me what happened,” he informed the ladies calmly, officially starting practise by using their player names. “I’m not going to ask what _really_ happened,” his pointed look at Grizzly was met with a calm gaze, even though one or two of the other team members shifted a little, “because I’m sure it was a genuine accident that will be turned into a learning curve.” Realizing he was still somewhere in teacher mode, he unfolded his arms. “Guys, it’s okay. It’s unfortunate, but it’s not the end. La Petite Mort? You’re taking Nutter’s place. And we’ll find somebody else to take yours.” He looked to Rachel for confirmation and she nodded her approval. “Come on. Practises are going to be twice as hard, now, because we need to learn a new dynamic.”

Centauress groaned. “You’re going to be even more anal than ever before, aren’t you?”

Some of the women grinned and Big Jake gave Centauress a little smile. “You’ll be calling me General Jake before the week is done. Let’s go!”

The grumbles were loud but good-natured; they’d long since accepted that Big Jake was the most intense member of the team during practises. He knew that for all his faults they respected him as a leader, and he trusted Rachel to keep him from going overboard. Rachel and Big Jake balanced each other out in the ways that mattered and usually shared the leadership position with ease. On the times their opinions clashed too wildly, the team stepped in and voted. Or let them yell it out. They never stayed mad at each other for long, anyway.

“Nutter isn’t here any more; stop waiting for her to break through with her usual tricks,” Big Jake reminded them as practise ended. He swept a sharp eye around the group and found only traces of dejection. That was a good sign. “We’ll get this. See you guys next time.”

“Goodbye, _Prince_ Jake,” Estrid called over her shoulder, giving him a fake glare.

He simply shook his head at her and headed toward Rachel, who was talking to Loren about finding a replacement.

“I’ll text you the number of that girl I know tonight,” Loren promised. Then her eyes gleamed wickedly. “If worst comes to worst, we could always put Tobias in a wig and toga. He looks feminine enough. And aren’t you taking him skating soon?”

“You want to join Melissa in the hospital, Loren?” Rachel threatened with a growl, throwing her damp towel at the smaller blonde. “I can _assure_ you that there is nothing womanly about Tobias’-”

“I’m standing right here, and I really don’t want to know,” Big Jake interjected while Loren laughed and waved goodbye. Rachel rolled her eyes at him, lips still quirking. “I’ll call up a few other coaches in the nearby area and ask if they know of anybody who’s willing to join the team,” he told Rachel while she dug for her keys.

“Relax, Big Jake. I’ll sort this one out.”

Big Jake frowned. “Rachel, you can’t just get anybody-”

“I won’t just get _anybody_. I’m the _coach_ ; I know what I’m doing-”

“Remember the last replacement you suggested and what an absolute nightmare ‘The Lioness’ turned out to be?”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, don’t you d-”

For the second time that day, the cousins’ confrontation was cut short by a ringing phone. This time, it was Big Jake’s mobile that lit up, playing a very particular tune. Big Jake and Rachel both froze – only one person in Big Jake’s phonebook had that ringtone, and a call out of the blue usually meant trouble. He fumbled the device out of his pocket and stared at it a little dumbly.

“Hey.” Rachel’s voice was suddenly soft, and the gaze sweeping his face was concerned and almost gentle. “Answer it. You can’t be scared of what hasn’t happened yet.”

She slipped her hand onto his arm and he took her advice, breathing out a hello into the mouthpiece. There was a pause and then his brother’s voice started telling him about usual activities being cancelled, which had led to a phone call made out of boredom. Big Jake relaxed at once in relief and felt Rachel let go. It was only after he’d ended the call that he realized she’d left without promising not to recruit people left, right and centre without asking him.

***

Big Jake spent the next two weeks calling just about every possible replacement in the entire L.A. County. There were a few who hadn’t given him outright rejections, but their hedging told him he could be sure of nothing. And the longer the Hubris were without a full team, the lower their chances at winning anything got. Big Jake thus arrived at the Hubris practise in a bit of a foul mood, his frustration and worry churning in his gut. He’d just dropped his things off in a corner of the arena when Rachel’s voice rang out.

“Come on in, girl!” Rachel called, and Big Jake turned to see her waving to somebody at the door. “Ladies, this is Cassie. She’s going to be training with us for a while, to see if maybe she can help us out in some bouts.”

Jake’s frustration peaked and he stalked over to his cousin with a scowl, arms folded across his chest. He didn’t even spare a glance for the unknown girl that stood before him, noting only that she was shorter than even Loren.  “You didn’t ask me about any new player,” he accused, keeping his eyes on Rachel as the new girl jumped a little and turned around to face him.

  
Rachel approached, trapping the object of their argument between them. “Well, I found her and she’s a natural.”  
  
“I’m the coach here, and you need to run these things by me first.”  
  
“I’m the captain, and no I don’t.” Rachel matched his glare and raised her chin in defiance.  
  
Big Jake was about to snap back another reply when the girl before him suddenly interjected. “Hi, I’m Cassie.”

He glanced down at her, and caught sight of the one-dimpled smile he’d spotted at Marco’s party after the bout against the Star Whores. For a moment he was completely and utterly thrown; he’d been hoping she’d return to Marco’s next party and had even talked himself into going over to talk to her if fate was kind enough to make her appear. And suddenly she was standing right in front of him, grin in place and hand outstretched. And he realized it _hadn’t_ been the beer – she was still gentle and _pretty_ in the sober light of day. He felt his arms unfold and his shoulders relax, his irritation with Rachel bleeding away to wherever it usually went at double the speed.

With a small smile of his own crossing his features, Big Jake shook her hand gently. “Hi, Cassie. I’m Big Jake. Welcome to the Los Angeles Hubris. Have you ever skated before?”  
  
“No,” Cassie replied. “I mean, not like this.”  
  
That was actually a bit of relief – it meant he was working with a clean slate that would meld into the team so much easier. If she had enough talent to learn their level of skating, of course. But somehow Big Jake didn’t doubt that – his cousin had an eye for talent and Rachel would never knowingly jeopardise her team in any way. “You don’t have any bad habits, then,” he said approvingly, before he looked back to Rachel. “How about we see what she can do, and talk about her spot on the team after practice?”  
  
Rachel scowled, but nodded all the same. “Okay. Okay then. Let’s introduce you to the team.”

Big Jake let Rachel lead Cassie over to the rest of the girls for introductions. He kept a sharp eye out for any initial dislike, but the Hubris team all seemed genuinely happy to have Cassie join them. She had an easy nature that matched her gentle eyes and despite finding it endearing, it was the biggest reason he doubted Cassie would be right for the team, natural talent or not. Roller derby was a contact sport, and they needed people who could cope. He let Rachel take most of the lead in the practise, keeping his attention on Cassie instead. Despite her obvious unfamiliarity with the rules and skating in general, Big Jake could immediately pick up the talent Rachel had seen. Cassie learned on her feet, picking up little tricks from the rest of the Hubris players and remembering the things they told her and taught her at once. She also skated with a sort of grace that Big Jake knew they could put into use with a lot of training.

But it was the number of times she ended up on the ground that really clinched the deal for him. No matter how hard she hit the floor, Cassie picked herself up again without a word of complaint or a second’s hesitation. She kept her concentration on what was happening around her even when she was felled, and slipped back into the rest of the team without any prompting. Every time she fell her face morphed into a single expression – not fear or pain or disappointment or anything that Big Jake would have expected, but pure, hard determination. He knew now that those gentle eyes could burn with fire and like the stupid, barbaric man in the myths of old he felt himself _wanting_ it.

He watched her learn and persevere and – most importantly – _fight_ and then he found himself simply _watching_ her, forgetting entirely to make mental notes on her ability. Because Cassie…

Grizzly skated over before practice was even officially over, a smug look on her face. “I watched you watching her,” she said happily. “And I want to hear you say it out loud. Go on. Say it.”

“You were right, Grizz,” Big Jake sighed, scowling as she grinned broadly his way. “She’s going to take a _lot_ of work, though. A _lot_ of work.”

“I believe in her,” Grizzly countered with an easy shrug. “Don’t you?”

He didn’t answer her, but instead made his way over to Cassie, who was busy unlacing her skates. He felt a smile pulling at his lips as he approached her, anticipating her wide grin as he broke the news. He really liked her smile. Clearing his throat, he called her name to get her attention. She turned to face him at once and the sight of her, sweaty and a little exhausted, was oddly _endearing._  
  
“Yeah, I know,” Cassie said.  
  
“Know what?” he asked, wondering if Rachel had somehow beaten him to the punch.  
  
“Goodbye and all that. Don’t come back.”  
  
“You didn’t like it?” Disappointment curled in his gut, and it took him only a moment to realize it was because he wouldn’t get to see her skate again (or even at all) and not because the Hubris would still be one person short.  
  
“I did, but—”  
  
“I was going to ask if you wanted to come back on Thursday,” he interrupted hopefully.  
  
“Oh,” she replied. “You really want me to join?”  
  
“I do,” he replied, sounding a little too eager to his own ears. “Grizz and I talked. You’re raw, but I think you’ve got promise.”  
  
“Then absolutely,” she said, her eyes lighting up with the joy he’d anticipated. “See you Thursday.”

He grinned at her like an absolute idiot, unable to find words to describe the warm joy curling in his gut.

***

During the next month, things within the Hubris settled into a new routine. The ladies became accustomed to each other and learned to read the subtle tells in their teammates’ body languages until responding appropriately was almost instinctive. Cassie, to everybody’s delight, picked up the rules and subtle nuances with ease, slipping into the team as though she’d been skating for years. In fact, the only thing that still blatantly singled her out from the rest of the Hubris members was her unwillingness to be as physical as she should be. Wherever possible, she backed away from the fight instead of pushing back harder, obviously uncomfortable with being as aggressive as she needed to be. Big Jake knew Rachel had talked to her about it a few times, but while he’d discussed it and its potential problems with Rachel, he’d never gone up to Cassie himself to talk about it.

He made a lot of excuses as to why that was, of course, but the simple truth was that he didn’t want her to change. He respected and cared for every woman on the team, faults and levels of aggression and all. But Cassie… Cassie’s gentleness was a part of her as much as the determined fire that awoke in her eyes sometimes was. She fought – he’d watched her fight countless times with a smile on his face and a warmth in his chest – but she drew the line on how much violence she’d dish out very firmly. And Big Jake respected her for that; respected that she was fiery and protective and free and wild but also gentle and warm and sweet at the same time. As much as he avoided talking about her need to engage more, Big Jake found himself inventing things to talk to her about after practise, just so he could see her smile and make her laugh a little. In fact, he’d found himself thinking up good excuses to have those moments he looked forward to so much while making dinner or marking papers or even invigilating one of his class tests.

If things were different, if he wasn’t her coach and she wasn’t just there for practise and he was something more appealing than a guy who got half of his kicks out of woman’s contact sport and the other half out of watching documentaries on the History Channel, he might have…

“Elle, remember to watch your elbows in this play!” Grizzly yelled, snapping him out of watching Cassie zoom effortlessly around the corner of the track.

Big Jake focussed his attention on the practise, watching the team as they moved as one and noting with satisfaction that Grizz brought up all the points he’d mentioned to her in their last meeting. As the coach, Big Jake could see the little things Grizzly couldn’t while she was inside the thick of things. And she could pick up on things that he didn’t notice. It was another reason they worked so well together: Grizzly took care of the actual execution and morale while Big Jake watched for personal nuances in every player that he could use to make the team better.

“Okay, Hubris! That’s practise over,” he yelled, and the team slowed down at once. “I’ll see you all at the bout.”

The team all cheered, the excitement already bubbling in their veins. Cassie’s eyes caught his and they both smiled at each other reflexively. She ducked her head a little when she looked away, biting her lip as though she was pleased with something. Big Jake saw Loren, Estrid and Toby look Cassie’s way from where they were huddled. Their grins were slightly predatory, and he knew that some sort of pre-match ritual would be brought upon the unsuspecting new member.

He headed over to Rachel instead of Cassie, raising his eyebrows in an unspoken question. She shook her head in response; there was nothing new she wanted to tell him. They’d done all they could.

“Rachel?” Halfway out the door, he turned back to her. “Just…” Rachel raised her eyebrows. He glanced at Cassie. “Take care of her.”

Rachel’s grin was surprisingly smug and knowing. “Take care of her yourself, Big Jake.” She brushed past him with a swagger. “And don’t even _pretend_ you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

He was still pretending he didn’t know what she was talking about when he showed up at the arena in time for the bout. He had a polite and very brief greeting session with the Hell Marcos coach, who looked nervous and trodden upon enough to deserve his nickname. His team, which consisted of woman all under five feet who were, in Big Jake’s mind, all a little loopy, watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, and pounced on their coach as soon as he was done talking to Big Jake. Big Jake could only stare with raised eyebrows as the woman squabbled and snipped around the poor man they called Wuss, their five-feet of fury quite a sight to behold. Even Marco stayed well away from the Hell Marcos, and he was known for flirting with _anybody_. There was a rumour that the one time he’d tried to smooth talk one of the Hell Macros she’d shoved something up his nose.

The crowd was as enthusiastic and loud as ever, bodies pressing eagerly toward the spots where they could have the best view. Motor Mouth roped in their attention and stirred up their delight in his effortless way, adding quirky comments as he introduced the Hell Macros. Big Jake watched the first few members of his team skate out next, noting wryly that not a single change had been added to the costumes. And then, right after Centuaress wowed the watchers with her tattoos, Marco yelled the new name Big Jake had been listening out for.

“Number nineteen – _She Wolf_!”

Somebody in the crowd went especially crazy, and Big Jake could do nothing but privately agree with the unknown man’s wild cheering. Cassie skated out with her head high and her shoulders set, the toga and fishnets and makeup making her look like she never had before. The fire that hid in her eyes was blazing across her face and sparkling in her wide grin and Big Jake finally saw what he’d caught glimpses of all along. She looked over at him and he could do nothing but pump his fist in the air in utter elation.  
  
The elation lasted through the whole game. The height difference between Salad Shooter and the Hell Macro women was _laughable,_ and allowed the grinning giantess to swat the smaller women around as though they were flies. Elle Fang had an equal advantage; with her small size she could slip through the gaps the other team left and the Hubris, headed by Grizzly’s ferocity, created in the wall of women. And the practises meant that the Hubris worked like a well-oiled machine, giving and taking to each other as much as necessary. Unfortunately, the Hell Macros were as resilient as cockroaches and fearless to boot. Under their captain, Empress – who almost matched Grizzly’s snarling fierceness – the team of tiny women managed to scrape a win. Even when their hollering drowned out Motor Mouth’s closing words, however, Big Jake could feel nothing but proud delight.

The same feeling was reflected on his team’s face, and the grin Grizzly sent him told him that she felt it too: they were getting somewhere. They’d still need to work hard, push more boundaries and iron out a few kinks but they were _getting somewhere._ Before he could head over to congratulate his team – especially She Wolf, who had pulled out almost all the stops on her capability and skill – Big Jake was accosted by the winning team.

“The Hell Macros reign supreme!” Empress yelled, and the rest of her team took up the cry as Wuss cowered in the background. “We have again proven we are the greatest! You should show us the respect we deserve!”

“Uh,” Big Jake said, eying her and wondering if she’d be offended if he took a step back. “Yeah. Congratulations on your win.”

“We always win!”

Instead of correcting her  - the Hell Macros weren’t _that_ far up on the listing at all – Big Jake simply smiled and made his escape, wondering if the team would follow them to Marco’s party. Somehow it was in full swing by the time he arrived, and after getting a beer Big Jake began wandering around, looking for Cassie. He found Rachel and Tobias instead, who were still so firmly in the honeymoon phase that Big Jake could practically see the cartoon hearts around their eyes. They kept looking at each other and grinning, and the sight of his cousin with a smile that held no cunning or malice or any kind of sharpness made Big Jake wish he could take a picture. It would make excellent blackmail material, really it would.

His second loop around the apartment found him running into Motor Mouth Marco, who for once didn’t have a girl on his arm. The two of them strolled to a slightly less densely packed area, and Big Jake settled down for his normal party routine. The talk about the game was vague, and it wasn’t long before Marco launched onto a new topic: the secret to beating level eighteen in his newest video game passion. Big Jake, who always found the games Marco enjoyed rather enjoyable himself, endured the long-winded account of how Marco had brilliantly come up with the answer to the fabled unsovable level just so he could get the cheat for himself. And then, suddenly, there was a hand tapping his shoulder and a familiar voice just behind him.

“Hi.”

Big Jake spun around at once, the exuberance that had never really disappeared since he saw her skating out making him grin wide and hug her instantly. “Cassie!” She was tiny in his arms; he lifted her clean off her feet in his delight. “That was amazing,” he grinned at her as he set her down, his hands staying on her shoulders.  
  
“No, it wasn’t,” she said. “We lost.”  
  
His wide grin became softer at the dejection in her voice. “It was your first game. Everyone starts somewhere.”  
  
“Are you going to tell me that even Grizzly started out timid?”  
  
Big Jake let out a loud laugh at the mental image of his cousin being _timid_. “I’ve known Rachel my whole life. She came out of the womb swinging.”  
  
“CYBORG BARBIE!” they heard Rachel screech in the distance. “What the _fuck_ is your problem?! Get away from him, bitch!”  
  
He caught Cassie’s eye and they laughed again. “Seriously though,” he said, and lifted a hand to brush her chin gently (her skin was soft and warm under his fingers), “I can tell you feel bad about tonight, so channel that energy into practice, okay? Get better.”  
  
“Besides,” Motor Mouth Marco said, speaking right into Big Jake’s ear so he jumped, “it’s a party, which is no place to be upset. Get on the party high. Music. Girls in short skirts. Good times, friends, beer.”  
  
“Right,” Big Jake said, unable to ignore Marco’s pointed look his way. Sheepishly, he motioned to the keg. “Beer?”  
  
“No thanks,” she replied. “I’ll stick with the music and the friends.” He couldn’t help but smile yet again when she used the term to include him. “So…She Wolf?” Cassie looked at him curiously. “Was that your idea?”  
  
“No,” he admitted. “It was the girls. But you like it, right?” It had been a unanimous decision and even he hadn’t had any reservations. The name fit her like a glove. Especially the her that had been out on the rink that evening.  
  
“Yes,” she agreed. “I’ve always liked wolves. I’m a wildlife veterinarian.”  
  
“Really?” It was surprising and altogether not at the same time. Fierce but gentle. “I didn’t know that.”  
  
“Well, we don’t really get the chance to talk about our lives during practice,” she replied, toying suddenly with a bit of her hair.  
  
“I guess not,” he agreed easily, taking the apologetic explanation he perceived her words to be with a smile.  
  
Cassie didn’t disappear into the crowd after that, but stayed beside him as the conversation drifted from one casual topic to the next. Marco got bored and left them at some stage, and Big Jake didn’t even realize he was gone until much later. The topics he picked had no purpose except to make her smile – it had become a personal mission of his to make her smile. And, as much as he tried to hedge the subject, she finally asked the dreaded question.

“I’m… I teach history at a local high school.”

Her eyes widened in surprise and he waited for the mumbled excuse or the follow-up _why._ Neither came. Instead, Cassie grinned and told him that she thought it was awesome. After that, everything that happened was coated with a sort of happy glaze that reminded him of the look his dog would get when he brought home an extra special treat. Before he was ready to say goodbye to her, the rest of the team came over to make sure Cassie was feeling better about their loss. He declined the offer to join them on the dance floor, but laughed a little as Toby and Estrid dragged a protesting Cassie with them into the thick of the crowd. Rachel remained by his side, her stance relaxed and her eye on Cyborg Barbie, who was in turn eying Tobias where he was engaged in an intense game of cards with a few other party-goers.

“We were so close tonight,” Big Jake finally said, and he could hear her answering sigh even over the music.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “I can feel it in my bones, cous. Someday _soon_ we’ll really show them what we’re made of.”

“We need to-” he started, but there was suddenly a brunette stranger in front of him, beaming and clutching her drink close.

“Hi!” she called a little too loudly, and Rachel rolled her eyes and turned to her drink. “I’m Allison. You’re Big Jake, right?”

“That’s me,” he agreed, giving her a nod of greeting.

“Great.” There was an awkward pause. “So… why Big Jake? Like… is there a Little Jake?”

Rachel _inhaled_ her beer as she started to laugh, making droplets of the beverage spray everywhere as she howled in mirth. Big Jake shot her a look which she didn’t see. Rachel continued cackling to herself even as the brunette stalked off in a huff at being treated to Rachel’s glee and Big Jake’s awkward stuttering, tears smudging her Grizzly makeup as she convulsed.

“As I was _saying,_ ” he snapped in irritation, a little afraid that this would be one of those moments Rachel would hold over his head forever. “We need to do something about Cassie, though.”

Rachel managed to get her laughter under control. “Yeah.” She took a deep, calming breath. “Yeah. We really need to get her to put herself out there a bit more. She’s still too…”

“Gentle,” Big Jake supplied, watching Toby twirl Cassie around as they danced.

“Yeah. But, other than that and a few mistakes here and there… she’s good, isn’t she?”

“She’s _great_ ,” he answered a little too fervently, a blush suddenly rising in his cheeks as the realization of his tone.

Rachel smirked. “Have you asked her out?” she asked slyly.

“What?” He stared at her. “Who? _Cassie_? No-”

“Did she ask about Little Jake too?” Rachel mocked and he scowled darkly at her. “You hang around high school kids too much, Big Jake. You need to learn to grow a pair.”

“Back to the actual _point_ ,” he said, ignoring her completely, “we need to find a way to get her to… toughen up a little.”

Rachel glanced at Cassie and then back at him. Her smile turned satisfied. “Leave it to me. I suddenly know _just_ what’ll do the trick.” Seeing his sceptical look she added, “I’ll do it Saturday, if you want to come and oversee it, oh Great Leader.”

“I can’t,” he answered shortly. When she opened her mouth to mock him he bumped her gently and explained, “I’m going to see Tom.”

“Oh.” She was quiet, the teasing gone from her eyes. She bumped him back just as gently and they stood in silence, neither able to conjure up anything else to add.

Cassie didn’t return, and the party returned to mediocrity.

***

“Oh, _shit_. Not _you_ ,” Tom sneered as soon as his brother appeared at his door, and Big Jake knew it was a good day.

“You’ve grown uglier,” he said, pulling a face and swatting Tom’s legs off the chair so he could sit.

“You’re still so impossibly dense you see falsehood, Midget,” Tom replied, kicking him playfully in the stomach. “And yet I still choose to grace you with my glorious presence.”

“As always, I’m _so_ grateful,” Big Jake replied dryly, stealing some of his brother’s bedside candy.

Tom didn’t jibe back, but instead sat a little further back on his bed and regarded his little brother. “About last time you were here…”

Big Jake shook his head forcefully. “Forget it. Tom,” he said, when his brother opened his mouth again. “Relax. It’s okay.”

“I tried to kill you,” Tom intoned flatly, and Big Jake couldn’t help but wince. “How is that okay?”

“Because it wasn’t really you,” he replied softly, staring his brother down. “Not really.”

“It won’t matter whether it’s ‘really me’ if I succeed one day, Jake,” Tom snapped, wincing at the same time his brother did. “If it’s by my hand I…” His eyes were wide and scared.

Big Jake stood up and sat beside his brother on the bed without saying a word. They pressed their shoulders as close together as possible, and after a while Tom’s body relaxed. Big Jake didn’t move; he didn’t want Tom to be able to see his face. There was, however, something hard digging into his ass. Some ferreting under the blankets revealed the something to be a very threadbare stuffed tiger.

“Hi, Yeerk,” Big Jake smiled, patting the head that had kept him safe for all those nights when he was much younger. When _it_ had started with Tom, and he’d been admitted into The Sharing as a permanent resident, Big Jake had given the tiger to his older brother. Tom had scoffed and said he was too old for stuffed toys, but he’d clung onto Yeerk the whole way to the hospital and hadn’t let go since.

“That damn tiger,” Tom said, fondness in his voice as Big Jake cuddled it close without shame. “Right. Enough about me and my tendency to believe there are things in my brain trying to control me. How are the Hubris? I heard about Melissa.”

“Yeah?” Big Jake asked in surprise, handing Yeerk over to Tom subconsciously.

“Her dad still has to be admitted, sometimes,” Tom said quietly, jerking his head down the hall.

“Ah.” They both stayed silent for a moment. “Well, we found a replacement. This new girl. Her name’s Cassie and she…” Tom raised an eyebrow in his direction, absently patting Yeerk’s fur. “She started out really raw, but she’s talented. Works as a vet at the Wildlife Clinic. She’s learning, she really is, and she’s got this… spectacular, fierce fire about her. Which is weird because most of the time she’s just sweet and soft and… _gentle_. Even her eyes are gentle.”

“Awwww, Widdle Jake’s in lurve,” Tom cooed, smirking as Big Jake scowled and elbowed his brother gently. “Jaaaaake and Cassssiiie, sitting in a tree… Hopefully d-a-t-i-n-g?”

“It’s not like that,” Big Jake protested, hoping that it was only the humidity in Tom’s room that was making his face feel hot.

Tom stared at him. And then hit him around the head with Yeerk. “Are you a _complete_ moron? _How_ old are you?” Without waiting for a reply, he continued. “For shit’s sake, Midget! You _obviously_ think the girl poops rainbows or whatever sappy reality you’ve spun, so _do something about it_.”

“But-”

“ _No_.” Tom said empathetically, banging Yeerk on the head with his fist. “Will asking her out cause the end of the world? Millions of deaths? An alien invasion? No? Then get over yourself and grow some _balls_.” Tom shook his head. “You’re so interested in history and yet you’re obtusely ignoring the greatest history ever – the one you get to tell your grandkids about yourself one day. There will be no grandkids if there is no woman. Go get the woman!”

Big Jake could only stare at him.

Tom ruffled his hair affectionately. “ _Shit_ , you’re dense sometimes, Midget.”

***

“I want to be a Jammer,” Cassie said.

Big Jake jerked a little in surprise, cocking his head as he surveyed her. Cassie met his gaze steadily without fidgeting.  
  
“You?” he asked.  
  
“Yes me,” she said. “You know I’m not Grizzly or Salad Shooter or even Centauress. Throwing hits isn’t my specialty. And I’m fast and agile. It makes sense.”  
  
“You haven’t been on the team for very long,” he hedged, curious as to what had brought on this sudden change.  
  
“Just because the Jammer scores the points doesn’t mean it’s the hardest role. I know Elle Fang has been doing it for years, and she’s great, but La Petite Mort is just a sub for a fallen teammate. For Nutter McKitty, who I’m the replacement for anyway.”  
  
That fire was back in her eyes and she spoke each word with the same determination that had dragged her from the floor during her first practice and kept her close to flying in her first match. “Okay,” he said.  
  
“Okay?” The determination faltered into surprise.  
  
“I’ll see if I can get you talking to Elle Fang about training. And I’ll need to talk to Grizzly, of course.”  
  
“She’ll say yes.”  
  
His eyebrows quirked at once. “And why are you so sure about that?”  
  
“This is what I want, Big Jake. She told me to go after what I want.”

He stared after her, a little perplexed. Rachel sidled up to him with a shit-eating grin on her face.

“Well?”

“You tell me. You’re the one who had Aggression 101 with her.”

“What did she _say_?”

“She wants to be Jammer.”

Rachel blinked, thought about it, and then grinned. “Hell, yeah. This is going to be _awesome_.”

“Could you stop corrupting everybody you meet?” He huffed at her.

“Oh, shut up. You’re impressed.” He couldn’t deny that he was. “You should take the advice too. Go after what you want.”

“She’s going to be spectacular,” he said instead.

“Of course she is.” The knowing smile was back in place on Rachel’s lips.

***

Two months later saw Big Jake staring down the coach of the Howlers.

Crayak was one of those men who seemed like more; somebody who made you avert your gaze and get out of the way without realizing you were submitting to him. Dressed in the same fiery red and orange as his team, he glared mockingly at Big Jake through his two normal eyes and the large, red eye tattoo on his forehead.

“Your champions against mine,” he smirked.

Big Jake only smiled grimly in return; there was no fear in his heart. Only adrenalin and the conviction that Rachel had shared with him before he’d made his way onto the rink.

Rachel had grabbed him before he’d left the changing room and looked at him a little manically. She’d overdone her makeup even more than usual in her nervous, elated energy. He could feel it trembling through her fingers into his heart and soul; could feel himself taste the excitement of the bout almost as acutely as she could.

“This is _it_ ,” she whispered, and he believed her at once.

He believed her even when the beginning of the bout saw the Hubris being nearly thrashed by the experience and raw power of the Howlers. He believed her even as he watched his team become beaten and bruised and bloody and exhausted. He believed her, and said as much, when he met his team before the second bout. His eyes lingered on She Wolf the longest, wishing he knew how to spark the fire.

He didn’t need to – she sparked it herself.  
  
In the second half, She Wolf skated like she never had before, like grey wind. And Grizzly and Salad Shooter and the rest, they all made her a path and she flew. She even gave a few hits herself, against those monstrous fiery foes. Between her and Elle Fang, the points added up. And at the end of the bout, for the first time in far too long, the Hubris had the winning score. The audience was howling their approval as the team crashed into each other, screaming and hugging and drunk on their own euphoria. For a moment, Big Jake watched them, every nerve end tingling with pride and elation and smugness and triumph. And then, completely forgetting everything about composure, he started to cheer.

His roaring echoed about the rink as he thrust his fist in the air, still unable to grasp what he was feeling but aware that it was good. Something moved out of the corner of his eye; a person breaking away from the sobbing Hubris huddle. Cassie. She Wolf. Jake grinned at her like he never had before, pouring every emotion – even those he couldn’t name – into the expression.

She smiled right back, burning and gentle and _fierce_ all at once. And suddenly she was skating toward him and he felt the certainty that had been begging to be let in for _months_ settle around his shoulders. Tom’s words came back with the force of a punch and they started his feet moving. Still without thinking of the hundreds of eyes that could see him, he took off at a run toward her, positively exploding with emotion.

She jumped straight into his arms and instinct made him wrap her up tight and before they knew it he was kissing her on the lips and she was kissing him back.  
  
“Well, folks,” Motor Mouth Marco said into the microphone. “It’s about damn time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have a story to tell you all. I got into Animorphs pretty slowly – the local public library had a smattering of books that made it pretty difficult to fully follow the story, and I had the misfortune of picking up some of the bad books (you guys know the ones) which put me off reading them regularly. Also, not a single person I knew liked them at all. It was only when I was 15/16 that I read the entire series from start to finish and I really fell in love with these heartbreaking little suckers. I only found out that there was Animorphs fanfiction toward the end of 2010, and even then it was a total accident. There were so few fics on FF.net but I read through all of them anyway (even the really bad ones) because I was ecstatic to find that there were people who understood that Animorphs was not a children’s series. It was in this fanfiction roll of the end-2010 that I stumbled onto LJ, completely accidentally (it’s a trend). And stumbling onto LJ brought me across a writer who went by the name word_play_sam. Sam’s fics were the ultimate find, the greatest treasure, Christmas a million times over and the pot at the end of the rainbow all rolled into one. I never commented on any of the fics but I read them. Over and over and over and over and over again.
> 
> Four years later, part of the most spectacular Animorphs fandom I could have ever dreamed of, I signed up for this remix challenge. And I got told that my assignment was to remix one of the fics of a Tumblr user called samdoesfunstuff. I clicked on the link to Sam’s fanfictions and found that it was the Sam. LJ Sam. Sam, who had written the fanfics that made me really start to understand Animorphs and loving Animorphs and engaging with Animorphs, Sam.
> 
> I had a pretty massive fangirl breakdown, let me tell you.
> 
> It was only a day later that I realized I had to remix one of Sam’s masterpieces and the absolute joy and giddy ‘what a coincidence!’ turned to the horror of a million nightmares in half a second. I had to do something with Sam’s fanfiction. I was so royally screwed. It didn’t help that a little while after that I got the privilege of chatting with Sam. I found out she’s an amazing person as well as phenomenal writer, and the whole time I was enjoying our conversation there was a part of my mind curled into the foetal position wailing about how completely, utterly and irrevocably screwed I was. You guys probably saw the Tumblr posts relating to my sobbing ‘why did I think this was a good idea’ freakout.
> 
> Nevertheless, I still signed up for the challenge and I had a job to do. So, taking a criminal amount of artistic liberty, too much headcanon and not enough compliance with IC behaviour, this remix of Sam’s brilliant fic was created. I honestly don’t know what to say about it – I started typing a million different explanations but couldn’t put it into words. Just… read the original; you’ll be doing yourself a favour, let me tell you.


End file.
